Read Online Spellscribed: Conviction by Kristopher Cruz - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kristopher Cruz
Ads: Link
was gnawing on it by the campfire.
Joven shook his head. "I know the basics and some of the maneuvers. It was... uh... not direct enough of a fighting style for me."
"It wasn't aggressive enough?" Endrance asked. The three men travelling with them mumbled some excuse and settled down for the night.
Joven waved a hand. "Too defensive." he explained. "It took too long to kill an enemy with that style than with a great axe or two-handed sword."
"Yeah... not aggressive enough." Endrance concluded. "But it sounds pretty good for me."
Joven nodded. "I realized that after seeing the results of your knife fighting skills. You're good, but you hesitate to kill and you are unconsciously pulling your punches, so to speak. A staff would be less lethal and you could feel better about putting your all into it, since you'll be knocking them about, instead of cutting them up. That, and it is a ton easier with a staff to defend against attackers with swords or spears, than you could with knives."
"Yeah, I think I'm going to leave the knife work to someone else." Endrance said after a few seconds of introspection. "I do appreciate the training though, it really helped improve my reflexes and ability to keep my cool when there's a lot going on around me."
"So, can you do any... you know, magic with this thing?" Joven asked, waving the bone around.
Endrance smirked. "Yeah." He replied. "It was formed of a living being, a naturally magical one at that. It should be exceptionally good at channeling power."
Joven thought for a moment. "Oh, and speaking of that, how come you didn't absorb it when it died?" he asked.
"I was too far away." Endrance replied. "I figure I have to be within about eight yards of the bulk of the body at the moment of death for the bracers to activate. I was safely forty feet or more from it when Gullin blasted it the second time."
"Damn." Joven said. "Might have learned or gained something good from it."
"Or I could have grown an extra head." Endrance added jokingly. "Who knows?"
Joven laughed, and tossed the bone onto the ground in front of him. "Take your time. Get familiar with your trophy, and when you're ready, I'll start teaching you."
Endrance set the bone next to him. "You know, I noticed something about what you said." Endrance started, looking Joven in the face. "You don't seem to follow the trophy tradition like the other barbarians do. Why is that?"
Joven pointed at the mage. "You, being alive, is all the honor and trophy that I need." he replied.
* * *
The next morning they mounted up and rode for only two hours before they ran into someone.
A man stood in the center of the path they were on, his arms crossed and feet planted firmly on the ground. Endrance examined his deep blue shirt with free flowing sleeves, tan breeches, a deep brown leather vest, belt and boots. He could have been anyone, except that Endrance's skin started tingling as soon as they approached.
They drew near and Endrance had to do all he could to keep from scratching at his skin. The man had power, greater than his, by far; perhaps even more than Kaelob, but his aura was chaotic, distracting. The man had a severe nose and forehead, with a somewhat receded hairline that sprouted a mane of straw colored hair that looked to be well tended. The entire time they approached, Endrance could see the man's brown eyes staring at him.
"Endrance of Wayrest." the man stated, not questioning. "I see you've managed to lose some of your escort."
He looked behind him at Ezeilo and the two remaining soldiers. "I apologize." Endrance said. "Shortly after they arrived, we had an invasion of undead. I was only able to save a few of them."
The man's eyes narrowed. "Do you know who I am?" he asked.
Endrance considered what he had discerned of him and made a guess, "I would have to guess that you are the Iron Satrap's High Magus, Weldom."
The man nodded. "At least that means you know your place." he said. "You came, even with the reduced
Joven shook his head. "I know the basics and some of the maneuvers. It was... uh... not direct enough of a fighting style for me."
"It wasn't aggressive enough?" Endrance asked. The three men travelling with them mumbled some excuse and settled down for the night.
Joven waved a hand. "Too defensive." he explained. "It took too long to kill an enemy with that style than with a great axe or two-handed sword."
"Yeah... not aggressive enough." Endrance concluded. "But it sounds pretty good for me."
Joven nodded. "I realized that after seeing the results of your knife fighting skills. You're good, but you hesitate to kill and you are unconsciously pulling your punches, so to speak. A staff would be less lethal and you could feel better about putting your all into it, since you'll be knocking them about, instead of cutting them up. That, and it is a ton easier with a staff to defend against attackers with swords or spears, than you could with knives."
"Yeah, I think I'm going to leave the knife work to someone else." Endrance said after a few seconds of introspection. "I do appreciate the training though, it really helped improve my reflexes and ability to keep my cool when there's a lot going on around me."
"So, can you do any... you know, magic with this thing?" Joven asked, waving the bone around.
Endrance smirked. "Yeah." He replied. "It was formed of a living being, a naturally magical one at that. It should be exceptionally good at channeling power."
Joven thought for a moment. "Oh, and speaking of that, how come you didn't absorb it when it died?" he asked.
"I was too far away." Endrance replied. "I figure I have to be within about eight yards of the bulk of the body at the moment of death for the bracers to activate. I was safely forty feet or more from it when Gullin blasted it the second time."
"Damn." Joven said. "Might have learned or gained something good from it."
"Or I could have grown an extra head." Endrance added jokingly. "Who knows?"
Joven laughed, and tossed the bone onto the ground in front of him. "Take your time. Get familiar with your trophy, and when you're ready, I'll start teaching you."
Endrance set the bone next to him. "You know, I noticed something about what you said." Endrance started, looking Joven in the face. "You don't seem to follow the trophy tradition like the other barbarians do. Why is that?"
Joven pointed at the mage. "You, being alive, is all the honor and trophy that I need." he replied.
* * *
The next morning they mounted up and rode for only two hours before they ran into someone.
A man stood in the center of the path they were on, his arms crossed and feet planted firmly on the ground. Endrance examined his deep blue shirt with free flowing sleeves, tan breeches, a deep brown leather vest, belt and boots. He could have been anyone, except that Endrance's skin started tingling as soon as they approached.
They drew near and Endrance had to do all he could to keep from scratching at his skin. The man had power, greater than his, by far; perhaps even more than Kaelob, but his aura was chaotic, distracting. The man had a severe nose and forehead, with a somewhat receded hairline that sprouted a mane of straw colored hair that looked to be well tended. The entire time they approached, Endrance could see the man's brown eyes staring at him.
"Endrance of Wayrest." the man stated, not questioning. "I see you've managed to lose some of your escort."
He looked behind him at Ezeilo and the two remaining soldiers. "I apologize." Endrance said. "Shortly after they arrived, we had an invasion of undead. I was only able to save a few of them."
The man's eyes narrowed. "Do you know who I am?" he asked.
Endrance considered what he had discerned of him and made a guess, "I would have to guess that you are the Iron Satrap's High Magus, Weldom."
The man nodded. "At least that means you know your place." he said. "You came, even with the reduced
Similar Books
